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Thursday, May 23, 2013
Managed Care
UnitedHealth, Aetna and Cigna Opt Out of California Insurance Exchange
Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 8:59 pm ET; Source: Los Angeles Times
Some prominent health insurers, including industry giant UnitedHealth Group Inc., are not participating in California's new state-run health insurance market, possibly limiting the number of choices for millions of consumers.
Nonprofit Health Insurers Often Beat For-Profits, But Not in Portland: Study
Thursday, May 23, 2013, 10:15 am ET; Source: OregonLive.com
Nonprofit health insurers often beat the premiums of their for-profit competitors and usually provide better protections on out-of-pocket spending, according to a recent survey of six cities around the country, including Portland.
Big Differences in Costs for Colorado Small-Group Coverage Under Health Reform
Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 10:37 pm ET; Source: Bizjournals.com
Monthly premiums vary wildly for individual and small-group health plans that are proposed to be sold in Colorado in 2014 -- the first full year of implementation of the federal health care reform bill -- according to officials at the Colorado Division of Insurance and a Denver Business Journal review of insurance filings released Wednesday.
Co-op Insurer Denied Spot on Vt. Exchange
Thursday, May 23, 2013; Source: Valley News
A state regulatory agency has denied a license to the Vermont Health Co-op to sell health care insurance in Vermont.
WellCare Board Elects David J. Gallitano as Chairman
Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 5:02 pm ET; Source: Thomson Reuters
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. announced that effective today its board of directors has elected David J. Gallitano as chairman of the board succeeding Charles G. Berg.
Pharmaceutical and Bio Tech
Pharma Continues To Seek External R&D Funding, This Time from The Government
Thursday, May 23, 2013, 8:41 am ET; Source: Forbes
Pharma companies have traditionally funded their internal R&D efforts totally on their own by investing 15% or more of their top line revenues to pay for these endeavors.
Policy and Regulatory
Highmark, Others Face Suit Over Claims of Antitrust Violations
Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 2:16 pm ET; Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Three southwestern Pennsylvania residents and two businesses Wednesday filed a lawsuit against Highmark Inc. and three other insurers, claiming they violated federal antitrust laws by agreeing not to compete against each other.
Iowa Lawmakers Have Deal on Low-Income Health Care
Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 10:26 pm ET; Source: San Francisco Chronicle
After staunchly opposing an expansion of Iowa's Medicaid program using federal funds, Gov. Terry Branstad has agreed to seek the funding for an alternate health plan for low-income residents.
Hospitals and Health Systems
Hospital Firms Say Research Tie-Ups Can Clinch Takeovers
Thursday, May 23, 2013, 7:13 am ET; Source: Reuters
Hospital companies that tie up with top medical research facilities to improve their access to the latest treatments and bolster their reputations are increasingly finding the partnerships also make it easier for them to do takeovers.
Cullman Regional Medical Center Joins Aetna’s Hospital Network in Alabama
Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 3:44 pm ET; Source: Business Wire
Aetna and Cullman Regional Medical Center announced today that they have reached agreement on a new contract that adds the hospital to Aetna’s Alabama network.
Medicare and Medicaid
How Ideas From Private Industry Help Combat Medicare Fraud, Waste, And Abuse
Thursday, May 23, 2013; Source: Health Affairs
It is increasingly well-known that improper payments cost taxpayers as much as $50 billion each year.
Judge Dismisses Claims of 'Nationwide' Medicare Fraud in Omnicare Antipsychotics Case
Thursday, May 23, 2013; Source: McKnight’s Long Term Care News
Long-term care pharmacy Omnicare will not face charges that it engaged in “nationwide” Medicare fraud for off-label antipsychotics prescriptions, a federal judge recently ruled.
Radiology and Laboratory
Will Ranbaxy Labs Be Excluded From Medicare And Medicaid?
Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 6:04 pm ET; Source: Forbes
One week after Ranbaxy Laboratories agreed to pay $500 million to resolve civil and criminal charges stemming from a long-running manufacturing scandal that involved substandard products and providing fraudulent data to the, the generic drugmaker has belatedly embarked on some damage control.
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